Do you ever find it hard to get out of bed in the morning because of nagging low back pain? Is it difficult just to bend over the sink to brush your teeth or wash your face? Is it hard to put your socks on in the morning or even tie your shoes? If so, you’re probably experiencing a very common condition: low back pain. Most people, in fact, four out of every five people (at one time or another) are going to experience some sort of low back pain.
While back pain may be common, it is certainly not normal. Research overwhelmingly suggests that back pain affects you much more than just being a nuisance in your life or making your work difficult. See, what research has proved, over the years, is that low back pain leads to major loss of time at work, productivity and it is costing employers more and more every year. But the biggest problem is that most people ignore the signs and symptoms, the little aches and pains, of low back pain until it gets so bad that it becomes debilitating. And when they’ve finally reached that point, that is finally the time they start looking to address the cause and for a cure to their pain and suffering.
While the best thing to do is to talk to your doctor, the most important thing that you can do is get a proper evaluation to determine exactly what the true cause of your low back pain is. The reality is, there are so many tissues, structures, and parts in the low back that could be the root cause your low back pain. For instance, it could be your disc causing numbing, burning, or tingling down into the legs and feet. Or it could be joint pain that is causing a nagging, sharp, stabbing pain in the low back or even a tight muscle that is causing tightness, stiffness and the inability to move with ease.
The other problem that we often experience is that these pains could be from another source, such as the kidneys, from a kidney infection, or even something as detrimental as an abdominal aneurysm. Ignoring these concerns could be downright deadly; the best thing to do is talk to your doctor about all possible treatment options.
While there are always things that you can do (on your own to alleviate pain), such as stretches, massage, and even taking pain killers the best thing for you (and your doctor) to know is exactly what is causing the pain(s). If your accustomed to taking pain meds for your low back pain or [insert any other body pain(s)]- you must realize that all medications have side-effects that can lead to other symptoms and problems in the body. Even in today’s world where natural health and healing is valued more and more- sometimes going to a doctor to get an actual examination is oftentimes one of the last things that people want to do. Massage and stretching are some of the best routes to start with initially because they are noninvasive, and you can even have it done by someone in your house. But, if the pain tends to return after the first massage, or after stretching, likely the problem is coming from a joint or a disc, which is where chiropractic care fits into the equation.
Likely, you have tried one of these other methods to get relief, and you are now looking for the next step or a long-term, natural solution. The next step is an evaluation to determine exactly which joints, which nerves, and how your spine is leading to the low back pain that you are experiencing. By diagnosing and properly evaluating your spine, chiropractors able to determine exactly what the source of pain is to get you the results you are looking for, as fast as possible, to get you out of pain and back to your daily life.
So, if you or a loved one is experiencing low back pain, give us a call for a five-minute phone consultation to determine if your low back pain is the result of a spinal condition or possibly something else. If you have tried other pain relief methods- chiropractic care is different, and it might just be the right answer to ease your pain and suffering!
